WILMORE, Ky. – Though the Lions were unable to secure a win on Saturday, the Piedmont volleyball team had an impressive performance including Katie Hubbard tying a career-high in kills against Huntingdon.
Piedmont dropped the first match in five against the Hawks of Huntingdon before losing 3-0 to CCS leader Asbury, who remains unbeaten in league play.
Match one: Huntingdon 3, Piedmont 2
Piedmont has continued to be hot out of the gate to begin matches with these two battling till the end. It was tied at 24 before the Hawks were able to squeak by with a 26-24 win in the first set.
The Lions did not let that dissuade them however as Piedmont took the next two sets to pull ahead 2-1 with a 25-18 win and a 25-13 win in the third set.
Huntingdon would not go quietly though as they returned the favor with a 25-13 win for the Hawks in the fourth set to force the deciding fifth set.
The two teams were tied at four but a 7-1 run put the Hawks ahead 14-7 and they claimed the set 15-8 to take the match 3-2.
Katie Hubbard led Piedmont and all athletes in the match with 15 kills, tying a career-high. Sara Bjerke also tallied a career-best mark with 10 kills.
Piedmont totaled 10 aces in the contest led by Hubbard with six. The Lions trailed Huntingdon just 49-47 in the total kill count for the match.
Match two: Asbury 3, Piedmont 0
The Lions once again were a tough foe from the start as it was again a two-point difference at the end in a 25-23 loss in the opener. Piedmont trailed 18-9 before pulling back, but the comeback was just a bit too late.
Down 20-14, Piedmont used a 7-2 run to trail 22-20, but dropped the opener 25-23. In the second, Asbury took a 17-4 advantage, but Piedmont was able to make it a respectable 25-15 loss.
In the final set, Asbury jumped ahead and maintained the lead but was not able to use large runs to create a sizeable gap. Piedmont dropped the final set 25-18 to lose the match in straight sets.
Asbury has lost just three sets in eight conference matches.
Up next, Piedmont will travel to Bob Jones for midweek action out of conference play at Bob Jones on October 16 at 4 p.m.
TURNING POINT:
–Piedmont was unable to keep pace after a 7-1 run by the Hawks late in the fifth set.
–Asbury kept its record undefeated in league play with a straight sets win over the Lions.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
—Katie Hubbard tied a career-high in kills against Huntingdon with 15 to lead the team.
—Vanessa Manzo tallied 17 assists against Asbury to lead the Lions.
